I am very tired. I took some students to sort food for distribution at Gleaners' Community Food Bank last Saturday. The cupboards are bare, the selection very sparse. Tatay and Nanay call the food boxes they receive "rations",perhaps, reminiscent of war time rationing. I came away depressed. Hungry faces haunt me.
And the headlines scream "$70 Billion Bail Out!" This does not make sense - how does one explain this to a hungry child or a hungry senior citizen towards the end of each month. Only in America.
I am taking the day off - shake my soul to replenish my spirit!Prayers only go so far - to sustain and strengthen my faith I need action - gospel based and gospel driven acts of faithfulness!
Thursday is market day. One of my favorite days growing up in Catmon - days of puso`, Budbod Kabog,Bibingka (using tuba for leaven), fresh meat, fresh sea food and going to Catmonda-an to watch the people. I was not allowed to go very often. I was envious and at the same time very impressed that Elvesa can do all the marketing for her family. Always looked forward to the invitation to eat linat-an mongos with kaling with the Oyas family on Fridaysor Saturdays.
Thursday is market day in Northville during the summer months extending to late fall. I love going to the Northville Farmers' Market to look and buy goodies. I purchased items for the centerpieces I made for Lauren's shower at the market.
Today, I started to purchase something sweet but did not have enough money. I bought a bar of beeswax and honey based home made soap scented with rosemary and mint - a luxury at $4.00 / bar. A slice of heaven to soak in when I get home!
Showing posts with label Tatay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tatay. Show all posts
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
On A Sunday
The plan:
Wake up - slept in Lauren's couch; but then I have been doing a lot of couch sleeping lately. Even at home - I usually just collapse in my couch when I get home at night or fall asleep reading.
Have coffee and breakfast - part of my morning routine, except Lauren or John usually made the coffee in their house. I do not have to grind coffee beans before brewing like I do at home. I love the smell of newly ground coffee beans. Makes me think fo Kiburiao.
Finish laundry - started a couple of loads Saturday night.
Shower and get ready for church - the usual Sunday stuff.
Go to mass - it is God's commandment. I love God and I love Jesus - I try to live my life according to what we are asked to do in His gospels.
Visit Mother Rankine - I try to do this whenever I am in Garden City. She is going to be 90 years old this year.
Meet Donna hopefully, to watch Gabriel and Alexander play soccer.
Go home to Northville
Call Tatay and Nanay in San Francisco - I try to do this every weekend.
Meet Carla to show her the apartment
Attend Peace March - I am committed to a peaceful and just world.
Check messages at my office
Attend premier of "Till August"- this is a production done by our film students and they are so excited about showing this movie!!! I am very proud of them.
Call Elvesa at Vancouver - I try to talk to her every weekend. She was in Portland, Oregon last weekend, so we did not talk.
"What actually happened"
Woke up to the noise of the robins in Lauren's yard. The sun was barely up. Told Lauren that her robins are rude and uncivilized. It is spring and all of creation is waking up! Wished they were a bit quieter.
Coffee was ready; I steamed "budbod bulanghoy" for breakfast - not as good as what Lola Sayong use to make; a bit dry actually, the coffee was needed to wet it down.
Macy (Dominic's dog) signaled that she wanted me to take her outside. - I crawled back in the couch and asked Dominic to come and cuddle - he is actually getting too big - I tickled his chest and "kili-kili" so he left.
Finished drying and folding laundry. - Lauren was getting ready for work. I walked around the yard with John to look at the plants coming up for spring. They have a gorgeous clump of daffodils by the fence in the backyard and a burst of bright yellow forsythia. The lilac bush by the gate is lost. I will miss the scent.
I took a shower and got ready as soon as Lauren was dressed. I left for church. After mass, I stopped and visited Mother Rankine.
Spoke to Tatay and Nanay - they called. I was pressed for time, so did not talk too long.
Made a tuna fish concoction with spicy nachos and a can of coke for lunch. John asked if I was staying for dinner;I said that I did not plan on it but I will consider it, if he made spaghetti. John's spaghetti is one of the best. John discovered that there was no ground beef so I went to the store to get some.
I went to the nearest grocery store to pick up meat. I looked for a parking space closest to the door - it was an in and out operation then...... as I was pulling into the parking space "Baaam crunch!!!"...... A big truck backed into my car.
Shock, shaken and speechless!!! I did not have my bag, just my wallet with me. I did not have my cell phone. The store was less than a mile away. All I could do was exchange information with the other driver. I shook all the way into the store; picked up meat and went through U-scan with the ground sirloin. Forgot to bag the meat and carried the package out to the car. Blood seeped out of the meat package into my hand - it was sticky! Felt a lot of fear when getting back into the car - I did not want to drive back to Lauren's - I did not want to drive anywhere.
Got home and showed the damage to John. Neither the door nor the window on the front passenger side would open. I was still shaking, my head started to hurt and my stomach was very sour. I have a tendency to "somatize" rather than emote and feel. What I really wanted to do was cry and scream. Just couldn't.
Made the phone calls - first to Carla to postpone our appointment. I am thinking about moving - downsizing, cheaper housing so I can have money for more traveling. Called Donna but she did not answer. Then called Nicki to tell her about the mishap. Donna later called me as they traveled from the field where Alexander have just finished playing his game; driving to the field where Gabriel was going to play. Called Colleen and left a message that I would be unable to attend the "Peace March." Felt bad about it - I firmly believe that the Iraq War has to end. Policies must be changed! Solutions must be found!
I have decided to stay at Lauren's. Donna and Frank just stopped by to see how I am doing - I have calmed down. I am no longer shaking, I am still worried about driving to work tomorrow. I would just as soon stay home.
Hope that I get over this when I wake up tomorrow. I will need to decide whether to report the mishap to my insurance company. Michigan is a no-fault state - insurance claims make insurance premiums go up. I will have to find a collision shop to fix my car.
A lot to think about and to decide - such extra complications just from what happened on one Sunday in spring.
Wake up - slept in Lauren's couch; but then I have been doing a lot of couch sleeping lately. Even at home - I usually just collapse in my couch when I get home at night or fall asleep reading.
Have coffee and breakfast - part of my morning routine, except Lauren or John usually made the coffee in their house. I do not have to grind coffee beans before brewing like I do at home. I love the smell of newly ground coffee beans. Makes me think fo Kiburiao.
Finish laundry - started a couple of loads Saturday night.
Shower and get ready for church - the usual Sunday stuff.
Go to mass - it is God's commandment. I love God and I love Jesus - I try to live my life according to what we are asked to do in His gospels.
Visit Mother Rankine - I try to do this whenever I am in Garden City. She is going to be 90 years old this year.
Meet Donna hopefully, to watch Gabriel and Alexander play soccer.
Go home to Northville
Call Tatay and Nanay in San Francisco - I try to do this every weekend.
Meet Carla to show her the apartment
Attend Peace March - I am committed to a peaceful and just world.
Check messages at my office
Attend premier of "Till August"- this is a production done by our film students and they are so excited about showing this movie!!! I am very proud of them.
Call Elvesa at Vancouver - I try to talk to her every weekend. She was in Portland, Oregon last weekend, so we did not talk.
"What actually happened"
Woke up to the noise of the robins in Lauren's yard. The sun was barely up. Told Lauren that her robins are rude and uncivilized. It is spring and all of creation is waking up! Wished they were a bit quieter.
Coffee was ready; I steamed "budbod bulanghoy" for breakfast - not as good as what Lola Sayong use to make; a bit dry actually, the coffee was needed to wet it down.
Macy (Dominic's dog) signaled that she wanted me to take her outside. - I crawled back in the couch and asked Dominic to come and cuddle - he is actually getting too big - I tickled his chest and "kili-kili" so he left.
Finished drying and folding laundry. - Lauren was getting ready for work. I walked around the yard with John to look at the plants coming up for spring. They have a gorgeous clump of daffodils by the fence in the backyard and a burst of bright yellow forsythia. The lilac bush by the gate is lost. I will miss the scent.
I took a shower and got ready as soon as Lauren was dressed. I left for church. After mass, I stopped and visited Mother Rankine.
Spoke to Tatay and Nanay - they called. I was pressed for time, so did not talk too long.
Made a tuna fish concoction with spicy nachos and a can of coke for lunch. John asked if I was staying for dinner;I said that I did not plan on it but I will consider it, if he made spaghetti. John's spaghetti is one of the best. John discovered that there was no ground beef so I went to the store to get some.
I went to the nearest grocery store to pick up meat. I looked for a parking space closest to the door - it was an in and out operation then...... as I was pulling into the parking space "Baaam crunch!!!"...... A big truck backed into my car.
Shock, shaken and speechless!!! I did not have my bag, just my wallet with me. I did not have my cell phone. The store was less than a mile away. All I could do was exchange information with the other driver. I shook all the way into the store; picked up meat and went through U-scan with the ground sirloin. Forgot to bag the meat and carried the package out to the car. Blood seeped out of the meat package into my hand - it was sticky! Felt a lot of fear when getting back into the car - I did not want to drive back to Lauren's - I did not want to drive anywhere.
Got home and showed the damage to John. Neither the door nor the window on the front passenger side would open. I was still shaking, my head started to hurt and my stomach was very sour. I have a tendency to "somatize" rather than emote and feel. What I really wanted to do was cry and scream. Just couldn't.
Made the phone calls - first to Carla to postpone our appointment. I am thinking about moving - downsizing, cheaper housing so I can have money for more traveling. Called Donna but she did not answer. Then called Nicki to tell her about the mishap. Donna later called me as they traveled from the field where Alexander have just finished playing his game; driving to the field where Gabriel was going to play. Called Colleen and left a message that I would be unable to attend the "Peace March." Felt bad about it - I firmly believe that the Iraq War has to end. Policies must be changed! Solutions must be found!
I have decided to stay at Lauren's. Donna and Frank just stopped by to see how I am doing - I have calmed down. I am no longer shaking, I am still worried about driving to work tomorrow. I would just as soon stay home.
Hope that I get over this when I wake up tomorrow. I will need to decide whether to report the mishap to my insurance company. Michigan is a no-fault state - insurance claims make insurance premiums go up. I will have to find a collision shop to fix my car.
A lot to think about and to decide - such extra complications just from what happened on one Sunday in spring.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Gikan sa Uma, Ngadto sa Ciudad
From Detroit to Chicago
My flight was to leave for Chicago at 8:28 AM - John dropped me off at Detroit Metro Airport just after 7:00 AM. There was a flight delay - my flight was now scheduled to leave at 11:30 AM.
Big problem: my connecting flight to San Francisco was scheduled to leave at 10:00 AM - arriving during lunchtime at San Francisco.
So I was booked for a 3:00 PM flight at Chicago, with assurances from the booking agent, that she was printing my boarding pass for the connecting flight - all I have to do in Chicago is show up at the gate.
Chicago O'Hare International
Not my favorite airport! What usually happens is that you get off in one concourse gate - say B then have to catch your connecting in another concourse, say A or C or worse D. And it is a long walk and a series of escalator rides in the process.
Lost Lauren in this airport once; when she was about three years old. I was on a business trip to San Francisco and decided to take her with me.
I started a mental list of who is in Chicago. Catmonanons I can call during the four hour lay over. There is Julia Cavada, my cousin Rex and Siony Jurado, cousin Lorna - Tio Viveng and Tia Moning Montecillo's daughter,Leo Montecillo's children and several others.
Well, discovered that my cell phone was dying - so, decided to let go of the idea! Ended up people watching instead, doing some praying and some reflecting.
Boarded the plane, loaded my coat and lap top in the overhead; when a young man came claiming my seat. Turned out we were both assigned the same seat - it happens! Especially during holiday travel.
One of the agents,from the boarding gate was paging me on the loudspeaker. When, he found me, he proceeded to order me off the plane because I did not have a seat in that flight. Wrong day and wrong person to mess with!
Frankly, he is one of those rude Filipinos, who, when they are in authority, would lord over others with no questions asked, no probing, no problem solving skills. Times when I pretend that I am not Filipino and I can neither speak or understand
the language. Must write to United Airlines to complain about this.
I made a fuss; refused to get off the plane. The supervisor was called. I explained the circumstances to her. A very smart Filipina - she said "if you can find a seat, it is yours." I claimed the nearest vacant seat. She noted the seat number - they were already working on seating "stand by passengers" and I was a full paying passenger, after all; I got the seat.
I have been flying on average, once a year in the last 42 years - a few tricks were learned along the way.
In San Francisco
My sister in law, Janet was meeting me at the airport. Janet is my brother Athan's wife (Jonathan).They did not get the message, I left in my sister P-nat's house phone about the delay. She could not find me - they were worried about me.
Why? I come from the "uma," from "ilaya" at that!
I live in Northville. Main Street is about a mile long with three or four stop lights. The nearest big city is Detroit. Detroit can not compare with Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta, New York or any other city. It is in Michigan.
Michigan is in the Midwest - Midwesterners are looked upon as less sophisticated about the world. We are a pretty stodgy bunch - factory folks and farmers. We are simple but not simpletons.
My flight got in at 5:45 PM. Picked up some food and went directly to the hospital to spend the night there.
My first Christmas Eve with Tatay. My first Christmas morning with Tatay, in a rather drab hospital room. But being with Tatay, after a sixty year wait, is enough Christmas for me.
My flight was to leave for Chicago at 8:28 AM - John dropped me off at Detroit Metro Airport just after 7:00 AM. There was a flight delay - my flight was now scheduled to leave at 11:30 AM.
Big problem: my connecting flight to San Francisco was scheduled to leave at 10:00 AM - arriving during lunchtime at San Francisco.
So I was booked for a 3:00 PM flight at Chicago, with assurances from the booking agent, that she was printing my boarding pass for the connecting flight - all I have to do in Chicago is show up at the gate.
Chicago O'Hare International
Not my favorite airport! What usually happens is that you get off in one concourse gate - say B then have to catch your connecting in another concourse, say A or C or worse D. And it is a long walk and a series of escalator rides in the process.
Lost Lauren in this airport once; when she was about three years old. I was on a business trip to San Francisco and decided to take her with me.
I started a mental list of who is in Chicago. Catmonanons I can call during the four hour lay over. There is Julia Cavada, my cousin Rex and Siony Jurado, cousin Lorna - Tio Viveng and Tia Moning Montecillo's daughter,Leo Montecillo's children and several others.
Well, discovered that my cell phone was dying - so, decided to let go of the idea! Ended up people watching instead, doing some praying and some reflecting.
Boarded the plane, loaded my coat and lap top in the overhead; when a young man came claiming my seat. Turned out we were both assigned the same seat - it happens! Especially during holiday travel.
One of the agents,from the boarding gate was paging me on the loudspeaker. When, he found me, he proceeded to order me off the plane because I did not have a seat in that flight. Wrong day and wrong person to mess with!
Frankly, he is one of those rude Filipinos, who, when they are in authority, would lord over others with no questions asked, no probing, no problem solving skills. Times when I pretend that I am not Filipino and I can neither speak or understand
the language. Must write to United Airlines to complain about this.
I made a fuss; refused to get off the plane. The supervisor was called. I explained the circumstances to her. A very smart Filipina - she said "if you can find a seat, it is yours." I claimed the nearest vacant seat. She noted the seat number - they were already working on seating "stand by passengers" and I was a full paying passenger, after all; I got the seat.
I have been flying on average, once a year in the last 42 years - a few tricks were learned along the way.
In San Francisco
My sister in law, Janet was meeting me at the airport. Janet is my brother Athan's wife (Jonathan).They did not get the message, I left in my sister P-nat's house phone about the delay. She could not find me - they were worried about me.
Why? I come from the "uma," from "ilaya" at that!
I live in Northville. Main Street is about a mile long with three or four stop lights. The nearest big city is Detroit. Detroit can not compare with Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta, New York or any other city. It is in Michigan.
Michigan is in the Midwest - Midwesterners are looked upon as less sophisticated about the world. We are a pretty stodgy bunch - factory folks and farmers. We are simple but not simpletons.
My flight got in at 5:45 PM. Picked up some food and went directly to the hospital to spend the night there.
My first Christmas Eve with Tatay. My first Christmas morning with Tatay, in a rather drab hospital room. But being with Tatay, after a sixty year wait, is enough Christmas for me.
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